Seattle City Council 5/20/2025

you

Good afternoon, everyone.

The May 20, 2025 meeting of the Seattle City Council will come to order.

It is 2.03 PM.

I'm Sarah Nelson, council president.

Will the clerk please call the roll.

Council member Hollingsworth.

I am here.

Council member Kettle.

Here.

Council member Moore.

Present.

Council member Rink.

Present.

Council member Rivera.

Present.

Council member Saka.

Here.

Councilmember Solomon.

Here.

Councilmember Strauss.

Present.

Council President Nelson.

Present.

Nine present.

Thank you very much.

All right, there are no presentations today.

However, I would like to welcome some special guests in the room.

We have today with us the students and chaperones and teacher of the downtown school, where I am the proud parent of two alumni.

I believe this is a language arts class.

This is an English class and it's a class of freshmen.

So welcome.

And the teacher in the room is Brian Crawford.

So I hope my colleagues would join me in welcoming the students.

We're excited to have you here watching our democratic process.

So welcome.

All right.

Yeah, clap.

I love field trips before.

Okay, moving on.

Colleagues at this time, we'll open the hybrid public comment period.

Public comment is limited to items on today's agenda, the introduction and referral calendar and the council work program.

Clara, how many people are signed up to speak today?

So you have 25 in person and 11 remote.

Okay, we'll give people one minute to speak and we will start with speakers in council chambers in blocks of 10. Today's speaker will have one minute and speakers will be provided a speaker number if you haven't already.

And we'll call on speakers in groups of 10. Please line up in numerical order alternating between the two podiums.

There's a podium here and a podium there.

And the timer will start immediately after the end of each speaker to allow us to get through as many speakers as possible today.

We do have items in other business that we do have to get through at the end of our agenda as well.

Once you've completed your comments, please step away from the microphone to ensure each speaker is provided with the same opportunities and allotted time.

Clerk, I will now hand this over to you to present the instructions.

The public comment.

Public commenters will be called in the order in which they are registered.

Speakers will hear a chime when 10 seconds are left of their time.

Speakers mics will be muted if they do not in their comments within the allotted time to allow us to call on the next speaker.

All right, speakers one through 10, if you can please line up on alternating microphones.

And once we get the first 10 speakers, we'll go ahead and begin.

So it's Victoria, Jonathan, speaker number three, I'm sorry, I can't pronounce your name.

And then we have Jonathan, Bennett, Rachel, Gabriel, Alex, Brandon, and Lila.

And there's two sets of microphones again, so you can stand up over here as well.

Besides, there's not just the center, but also this one on the slide.

So we have speaker number one here already, which is Victoria, and two, three, four, thank you.

All right, Victoria, thank you.

Hi, is it on?

Nope.

Hello, my name is Victoria Palmer.

I'm a Seattle resident in District Six and an executive board member of the King County Republican Party.

I came today to express my sincere appreciation for the Democrats on the council that are working to bring back the livability of our beautiful city of Seattle and specifically to reverse the extremist policies enacted under the influence of former council member Kashama Savant.

Thank you for acting to find balanced solutions that bear in mind the needs of business owners as well as workers, landlords as well as tenants, and taxpayers as well as beneficiaries.

Thank you very much.

Speaker 2.

Hi, I'm John Hendricks.

I happen to be also the legislative chair of District 36 GOP here in Seattle.

I'm a longtime resident, a longtime listener to the council.

Thank you all for your service and pursuing elected office.

We appreciate it.

Some 37 percent of Seattleites rent the place they call home.

So are tenants entering into a contract.

The median income of our renters is over $79,000, 61% above the median income of renters in the US.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development considers households whose spending is 30% of income on rent and utilities to be burdened.

Seattle, among the cities with the highest rental households, ranks third lowest.

between the allowance of the city of Seattle already for rent control, together with the governor's- Thank you.

I'm sorry, we only have one minute to speak.

I know it goes fast, but please send in your comments.

You're welcome to do so.

Hello, I'm Dr. Michael Karbowski.

I'm a retired anesthesiologist physician.

I work at Group of Health, and perhaps I took care of you or someone you know.

Anyway, I'm here.

to basically how much we support you guys.

You know, in the past, I think City Council has, you know, too many progressive ideas that are destroying the city.

And I think you guys know more about common sense is what we support.

So in my past history, I was lucky enough to march with Martin Luther King back in the 60s when I was in Memphis.

So anyway, I just want to say thank you for what you do.

Thank you.

And just so you know, for the new speakers here, when you hear that chime, that means you have 10 seconds left to speak.

Honorable City Council members, my name is Jonathan Blunt.

This is my 22nd year working for the City of Seattle in the Fleets Division.

I'm here with my fellow shop operations supervisors.

We are the staff that run the vehicle repair and maintenance shops for the City of Seattle.

We currently oversee 97 staff and maintain and repair approximately $350 million worth of equipment.

including every fire truck, police car, and snow plow.

Last year, when the represented staff received a bump in their base pay, those of us in a sequence of positions of increased complexity and responsibility were told that due to wage compression from lower positions, we should expect a bump in base pay soon.

Crew chiefs were making more than their supervisors, and that would have to be fixed, they said.

That was more than a year ago.

We were told...

We're asking you to please finish the job ordinance 127174 started.

We all foster an environment of fairness, equality, and transparency with our staff.

We're asking for you to do the same with us.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Speaker five.

Speaker five.

Hi, my name is Bennett.

I'm not here with the group, but I just wanted to offer my personal thoughts about the proposed ethics rollback and oh, I am against that.

Because I assume some of you probably take umbrage at the notion that you're just doing this to line your own pockets, that you ran for office just playing the long game, hoping to cash out and change the rules.

I don't think that's true.

Whatever else I've come here and said to you guys, I think that most of you could probably make a decent enough living in the private sector not doing this.

You wouldn't have to listen to me show up every week.

I think it's more that if you have been in the role of a landlord or business owner, you will see problems through that lens so much that it will bias the way that you approach things.

I mean, it's kind of like voting.

Demographic groups tend to vote in favor of the policies that support their group, but it wouldn't make sense to do that for self-serving reasons because the odds of a vote changing the outcome are so small.

It biases the way people see things.

That's why the ethics rules.

No.

The number five.

Good afternoon, President Nelson and members of Seattle City Council.

My name is Rachel Snell.

I'm testifying proudly against the proposal to roll back renters and ethics protections.

Remember a few weeks ago during the Thursday governance meeting, I warned you that if you disregarded the voices of the majority that there would be protesting.

Well, just a few minutes later after I said that, protesting started happening weird.

History often repeats itself.

In 1999, more than 35,000 protesters of diverse backgrounds gathered right here in downtown Seattle to protest the World Trade Organization during the ministerial conference against globalization.

What can we learn about this from this piece of history?

If you as elected officials disregard the needs of your constituents, then the voices on the increase become louder beyond these chambers.

If you want to earn the respect and adjourn, you must earn it through listening to more to your constituents than the billionaire class, which I'm aware funds many of your campaigns.

Councilmember Rink, thank you so much for your tireless advocacy in all of that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

When Regis' rights are under attack, what do we do?

Stand up, fight back!

When Regis' rights are under attack, what do we do?

Stand up, fight back!

Hello, folks.

My name is Gabriel Jones.

I'm here to speak today on ethics rules.

Firstly, I wanted to say it not at all surprised to see the Republican Party cheering on the current Dems on the council.

Two weeks ago, when I was here, a woman broke down in tears, sharing about the passing of her father and how the landlord was harassing her and demanding back rent while she cleaned up the blood-soaked floor of her father's passing.

Instead of sharing her condolences to this crying woman, Council President Nelson scolded the council room for clapping.

Do you know why she does this?

Because she needs absolute power.

She shows this by attacking tax towards our council members who elected like former member Morales, or even the way she treats Councilmember Strauss.

She shows this by constantly moving around commissions to do what she has to do to get policy passed.

She does this by spitting in the face of ethics to throw us out in the cold.

And most of all, she does this by attacking our First Amendment rights to show our support.

She tries to silence us in our communities because we show there's a group of people willing to fight.

She needs our vote.

She needs us to stay in power.

And we are not going to give it to her.

She does not own us.

We own her.

Thank you very much.

Your time is up.

Your time is up.

Because when we fight, we win.

Your time is up.

When we fight, we win.

When we fight, we win.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, council members.

My name is Alex Olson.

I'm a renter in University Heights, and I'm a member of Worker Strike Back.

I'd like to echo that it is no surprise at all that Republicans are here in support.

Myself and many others rely on renters' rights protections.

I personally know many people who would be in a far worse situation right now without them.

These protections especially help low-income renters who are one of the most vulnerable groups in the city.

Without these protections, poor, working class, and immigrant communities would be hit hardest, especially given the current state of the economy.

Removing them, siding with big landlords against the working class would be unconscionable, and yet this is exactly what this council is threatening to do.

And the fact that you need to repeal parts of your own ethics code to allow this to happen tells the people of Seattle, I think, everything we need to know about your motives.

The working class of this city are hurting and we need a city council that has our backs, not one that tries to shrink what legal protections we have.

And you are mistaken if you think people won't remember this when you're up for reelection.

Don't touch the ethics code.

Don't attack rent.

Do not let landlords write our laws.

Thank you.

Pause.

Pause.

Please pause.

I thought I didn't have to go through this again.

Come on.

You guys have been here before.

You know the rules.

This is you.

You are engaging in disruptive behavior.

Disruptive behavior is stopped.

You will be asked.

I don't really wanna go this route.

Perhaps you wanna go this route, but I wanna get through this meeting.

This is our job.

We need to get through the items on our agenda.

The definitions of the definitions of, I'm just gonna read a few examples just so it's all in the book so I can say that I read it out.

Failure of a speaker to comply with the allotted time.

Outbursts, comments that are not in compliance with rule 11C2A, which is the city council agenda or 11C3A.

Delaying the orderly conduct of progress of the public comment period.

Use of an allotted individual comment period for purposeful delay.

Etc.

Goes on and on and on.

Behaviors such as threats, personal attacks, or use of racial misogynistic or gender-related slurs and abusive language.

Failure to follow the direction of a presiding officer.

And then I am just...

Oh, they're unruly today.

Excellent.

Please go ahead with your comments.

I'm Brandon Eng, the renter from District 2, and I am here to inform the council that if the ethics guidelines are not under democratic discussion from the public, then we do not have any real power.

If the landlords want to undermine renter's rights through the city council, We will be here, and we will make sure that the ethics guidelines do not get passed, and that we have control over the discussions.

There is no democracy with our government, and we will stand for renters who are needed to support our city.

Thank you.

Stand up like that!

and these attacks prove once again that our city council members are no friends to working people frankly it's absolutely deplorable that repealing these protections has even come under question if any members of the city council vote in favor of repealing any protections will not forget that betrayal.

The people of Seattle are suffering.

Many of our Seattleites are homeless, struggling to pay rent, and prices are continuing to skyrocket.

What the city council should be doing is expanding renters' rights, not slashing them.

If the city council actually cared about the people they represent, they take our side instead of throwing us under the bus for big business and big landlords.

Thank you.

To begin with remote speakers, a reminder to our remote speakers, please press star six after you have heard the message that you have been unmuted.

Our first remote speaker is Howard Gale, followed by Maddie Dinks.

On a sign in City Hall Lobby and inscribed outside on the sidewalk are the words, Black Lives Matter.

But five years ago yesterday, the city demonstrated how little they care for black lives when the Seattle Police murdered Terry Caver a black man suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and experiencing a severe mental health crisis.

He was chased by six SPD officers and a canine who, within 17 seconds, shot him to death when he felt cornered and brandished a knife.

This was just six days before the murder of George Floyd.

One of the two officers that shot him, having garnered over 18 known complaints within less than eight years, was found to have egregiously violated SPD's escalation policy and was given just a 20-day suspension.

That officer remains on the force and advanced to sergeant.

All parts of Seattle's police accountability system determine this murder to be lawful and proper.

Does the city care about black lives?

You would ask the families of Charlena Lyles, Ryan Smith, Sean Furr, and Terry Caver.

Our next speaker is Maddie Dinks, followed by Johnny Townsend.

Hi, my name is Maddie.

I am a renter in Seattle and I work at a public hospital.

I think it is incredibly disgusting to hear defend ethics in city council today.

It is disgusting to have to sit through another attack on renters.

It's disgusting to have to sit through another attack on working people and to pretend like this is an outrage that people are here upset and fighting to defend ourselves against the interests of corporate landlords who are sitting on city council.

is truly shameful.

You are trying to roll back the ethics of a city so that you can benefit, and that's disgusting, and you should be voted out.

And working people are watching, we are paying attention, and we will be keeping tabs on who is giving lip service, but not speaking out, not defending renters, and who is blatantly attacking us.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Johnny Townsend, followed by Eleanor Steinhagen.

Jodi, I'm not hearing the person.

I believe they're on mute still.

Can we move on to the next person?

Our next speaker is Eleanor Steinhagen followed by Acacia Pottschmidt.

Eleanor?

Last week, I watched this council, all Democratic Party politicians, wax poetic about supporting elders, foster kids and families, and working people.

While at the same time, you prepare to attack renters on behalf of millionaire and billionaire landlords, starting by tearing up the ethics code that requires you to recuse yourself from voting on matters in which you have a personal financial interest.

Next on your agenda is tossing out the ban on winter and school year evictions and the $10 cap on late fees, a move that might as well come straight from a Trump 101 playbook.

King County landlords have filed 812 eviction cases a month so far this year.

a 30% increase from last year's rate and more than double the 2019 rate.

Instead of curbing or halting these evictions, you're looking to make an extra buck for yourselves and corporate landlords.

This disgusting attempt to repeal the ethics laws and undo our rights as working class and poor renters further exposes the Democratic Party for what it is, a money-grubbing party for the rich.

Our next speaker is Acacia Pottschmidt, followed by Alberto Alvarez.

My name is Acacia Pachman, and I'm a resident of D4.

I'm calling in today to voice my disappointment with the number of actions the council has recently taken to weaken renters' protection and to shamelessly cater to the interests of corporate landlords.

At a time when nearly half of American households that rent are severely burdened, and at a time when naked cronyism has become basically the de facto policy of our federal government, it is sickening to me that our council is prioritizing the interests of corporate landlords at the expense of the struggling, hardworking, and increasingly marginalized communities that also call this city home.

I know better than to appeal to the conscience of this council, so I am instead calling in today to say that rolling back renters protections is a surefire way for existing council members to jeopardize their incumbency because the people of the city are fed up with the greed of the uber wealthy taking precedence over our very basic rights to feed and house ourselves.

The fact that this council is brazenly discussing rollbacks of what amount to very basic ethics considerations should give pause to everyone in this city.

I'm tired of hearing this council wring their hands about the cruelty and self-interest of the Trump administration and then turn around and act with the same disregard for anyone outside of their wealthy donor.

Alberto Alvarez followed by Holly Jokerst.

Stand up, fight back!

Stand up, fight back!

Rolling back rules of ethics.

to allow for self-interest is such a destructive idea that many of you need to step up and vote down this bill.

Politicians who are self-righteous are the most susceptible to self-dealing.

Calling out council members Hollingsworth, Saka, and Kettle, it seems you lack the courage to stop this.

This legislation only serves a small group of corporate landlords who want to bleed every cent out of Seattle residents.

A council given free reign to enrich themselves will only bring more chaos, harm, and corruption.

Council member Kathy Moore, this is your bill.

I suggest...

Holly Jokers followed by David Haynes.

Hi, I'm Holly Jokers, District 4. I want to speak against repeal of ethics laws regarding renters.

I think it is shameful and disgusting that in a city as wealthy as Seattle, that so many people are homeless or housing insecure.

And I'm appalled to learn that the city council's even considering repealing this ethics code that protects the interests of renters against landlords.

I personally know someone who is literally on the verge of homelessness and most people in my community have enough trouble finding stable housing.

We need more renter's protection.

If you're even considering voting against the repeal of this or voting to repeal this ethics code or any other renter's protections, what do you even stand for?

That's all I have to say.

David Haynes followed by Johnny Townsend.

Hi, thank you, David Haines.

Renters Revolt.

Now, it's obvious the mayor, city council, and police chief haven't done anything to truly improve public safety, yet you all use the media to deceive the public and virtue signal perceptions of safety.

Exactly what has council done in public safety laws to combat the ongoing murders?

and over-serving bartenders in Pioneer Square, fueling violence, some of which is with rival low-level drug pitchers who've been exempted from jail in the past by the city government and have, and the present city council has not righted the wrongs of the past, yet council continues virtue signaling deceptive promotions of laws that don't amount to much at all.

Is it more environmental design, like Councilor Mayor always say?

You know how people claim expert in crime prevention, always focusing on environmental design?

Just get rid of the graffiti and people will stop committing crimes.

With that logic, we finally need to tear down all the slum buildings.

Are we at the end of our remote?

Yeah, Jody, just a clarification.

Are we expecting another remote speaker at this point?

Thank you.

OK, this is Johnny Townsend.

I missed my spot earlier.

Can I speak?

Your time is running, sir, if you can please continue.

OK, my name is Johnny Townsend.

I'm speaking in favor of rental rights.

I'm a homeowner, not a renter, but I've been a renter before.

One apartment had a leak so bad that water poured down the kitchen wall every time it rained.

I contacted the agency that managed the property, got no response.

Then I contacted my landlord directly.

She said there was nothing she could do.

The next time it rained, the kitchen cabinets fell off the wall.

There was still nothing a landlord could do.

When I finally moved out, my landlord kept my security deposit.

Every renter could tell a similar story.

Renters are humans, not subhumans.

We must protect their rights because those with enough money to be landlords will always want more money, and they can only get it from those without the resources to win in court.

We must win for them here.

That is our duty as citizens and your duty as council members.

Protect renters' rights.

Thank you.

When renters' rights are under attack, what do we do?

When renters' rights are under attack!

What do we do when renters' rights are under attack?

What do we do?

Jody, can you please stop sharing?

And I'll run the timer in here.

Thank you.

And then we're going to now go on to the next 10 speakers, 11 through 20. If you could please start lining up.

11 through 20. And as a reminder, your time will begin as soon as the next person's comments ends to allow us to hear all speakers.

Thank you.

And we're gonna start with number 11.

As Trump and the Republicans are laying off hundreds of thousands of federal workers and trying to slash funding for programs like Medicare and Medicaid, what are the Democrats here in Washington and Seattle doing?

They're shamefully cutting $7 billion in the state budget and slashing programs that working and poor people rely on.

They're attacking the renters' rights here in Seattle that were won through working-class movements led by Shama's Socialist City Council office.

They decry Trump as evil and then turn around and attack working and poor people.

The winning of these renters' rights represents a seizing of some of the profits of big business and helps keep working and poor people from ending up on the street.

It's billions of dollars in profit that these corporate landlords cannot collect through exorbitant late fees, evictions, and raising rent as easily.

So for these Seattle City Council Democrats to be actively trying to repeal ethics laws in order to attack those renters' rights is a direct attack on working people in the name of corporate landlords and big business.

The three biggest corporate landlords in Seattle raked in $3 billion in profits last year alone.

Evictions are on the rise with a 30% increase just last year.

I've heard council members go on and on in previous city council meetings about how they care about renters, the elderly, the foster children to prison pipeline, and working people more broadly.

This is a lie, and a lie that is not unique to these particular Democrats.

We can see it right in front of us as they attack renters' rights.

This is the rut that is the Democratic Party, and that's why working people need a big party for themselves.

That's why I'm a member of- Thank you very much.

Your time is up.

Your time is up, please.

Solidarity.

When renters' rights are on return, what do we do?

No!

I can't share sound.

All right.

Jody, can you share your screen again?

I can't share sound.

There's no 10-second timer on this one.

Sorry.

Apologies.

We're trying to get a timer up.

Thank you.

Jody, if you can share your screen again.

Thank you.

Just a second, your time hasn't started.

Stand up like that!

Wenters' rights are under attack.

What do we do?

Stand up like that!

Wenters' rights are under attack.

What do we do?

Stand up like that!

Wenters' rights are under attack.

What do we do?

Stand up like that!

Wenters' rights are under attack.

What do we do?

Stand up like that!

Wenters' rights are under attack.

What do we do?

Stand up like that!

Wenters' rights are under attack.

What do we do?

Stand up like that!

Wenters' rights are under attack.

What do we do?

Stand up like that!

Wenters' rights are under attack.

What do we do?

Stand up like that!

Wenters' rights are under attack.

What do we do?

Stand up like that!

Wenters' rights are under attack.

What do we do?

Stand up like that!

Wenters' rights are under attack.

What do we do?

Stand up like that!

All right, so it's been a while since I've been here.

My name is Justin Baer.

I live in Republicans happy again by attacking our renters' rights.

Of course, renters are mostly working people and students.

Last year, they tried to undermine our $15 minimum wage victory by preventing many workers from getting a raise of $3 per hour.

Workers strike back and former council member Shama Sawant mobilized the movement and stopped that, fortunately.

We need to do the same thing again to stop the ethics rule change that is Even renters' rights, like the ban on winter evictions that stops people from becoming homeless in the coldest months.

Anyone who wants to stop this attack on our hard-won renters' rights, I encourage you to join Workers Strike Back to strengthen this fight.

When renters' rights are under attack, what do we do?

When renters' rights are under attack, what do we do?

When renters' rights are under attack, what do we do?

We speak for too many, not forgot about it.

The renters' rights are Movement I, while socialist Shema Sawant was in office, that provided a lifeline for working in poor people in this deeply unequal city.

There is a powerful correlation between rising rents and homelessness.

Studies show a direct, consistent, and ruthless link between rent increases and homelessness.

An estimated 15,000 to 40,000 people die each year from being homeless.

These renters' protections in our Movement I are barely holding things together for many working people.

Yet the majority of this council is hell-bent on overturning these limited renter's protections.

And it's no secret why.

The real estate lobby has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to these Democrats.

It's not only that some are landlords themselves.

Most are bought and paid for by the corporate landlords.

We should be clear.

The way for us to defeat this shameless attack will be by building huge pressure from working people.

That's why Worker Strike Back is here and why we'll keep coming back to either defeat these vicious attacks or to drive the Democrats voting for them out of office.

Oscar Haney, I'm a worker, a student, and a member of Workers Strike Back.

The repealing of ethics laws is absolutely shameful, and there are no excuses for doing so.

Half of Seattle's citizens are renters, and repealing renters' rights will only hurt workers in order to line the pockets of corporate landlords.

We cannot let this greed go unstopped.

Every single city council member who votes in favor of repealing ethics laws, shame on you.

This is absolutely shameful.

When renter's rights are under attack, what do we do?

Stand up, fight back!

When renter's rights are under attack, what do we do?

Stand up, fight back!

When renter's rights are under attack, what do we do?

Stand up, fight back!

When renter's rights are under attack, what do we do?

All right, so under attack, what do we do?

Stand up like that.

Thank you.

You're already running my timer.

I haven't even started.

Reset the timer.

She hasn't touched it yet.

Reset the timer.

If you want to start.

Please restart the timer.

Restart the timer.

Restart the timer.

Restart the time.

Restart the time.

This is actually disruptive behavior.

Restart the time.

Recess.

Announcing a five minute recess.

Bye.

down.

Shame on the city himself.

so as to repeal the historic renters' rights victories working people won through the decade of my social city council office.

All these council members are Democrats.

It is telling that these Democrats are so nakedly serving the interests of blood-sucking corporate landlords, big businesses like Amazon and the billionaire class, that they are having to have Republicans come here and openly support them.

It is embarrassing and disgusting.

Shame!

Shame on the MLK Labor Council leaders, Katie Garrow and Tom Lambrough, among others, for endorsing out-and-out corporate Democrat Bruce Harrell, who, with his fellow Democrats on the City Council, have attacked working people for over four years.

Workers should demand that the MLK Labor leaders rescind that endorsement.

But it is not the only embarrassing endorsement by the Labor leadership.

They also endorsed Joy Hollingsworth, who attempted to undermine

Very much, your time has expired.

We are starting the timer for the next person.

Your time is up.

You are taking the time of your compatriots.

You will not start the time over.

You are only—hey, sit down.

Alex Zimmerman, sit down.

Number 16. No, here's how the timer works.

You get a minute.

If you are going to break into your colleague's time by chanting in between the speaking, that is going to take time away.

You don't own us, Sarah.

If you didn't know ethics or the movement hold you responsible for actions,

Restart the timer!

Restart the timer!

Restart the timer!

Restart the timer!

Restart the timer!

I never heard a word.

Why is this whole looking eager, guys?

You want to get it over with?

Or do you want to put your constituents?

Restart the timer!

Alright, you're giving up your time.

Restart the timer!

Hello, I am Ashton Hope, a pacifist from Capitol Hill, to speak on ethics and your safety.

Sarah Nelson, let's take a look into the future you want.

You successfully destroyed the ethics code and used that destruction to make your landlord cronies a few more thousand dollars.

This, of course, comes at great cost to the majority of Seattle's population.

To help you, I'll give a far too conservative hypothesis of 100 people becoming homeless because of you.

Now is the time I ask you do not shoot the messenger, because those 100 people aren't going to become the rowdy pacifists like me that make you quiver on the dais.

No, those are 100 people who are now not only suffering, but know exactly who eagerly caused their suffering, and have nothing left to lose.

I wonder how much money Brian Thompson spent convincing himself he could just kill karma every time it came knocking.

Hi, my name is Sydney Hammer.

I'm a renter in Pinehurst and a member of Workers Strike Back.

Like many others, I'm also here to speak out against the bill to repeal the ethics rules preventing the council members with landlord interest from voting on renter-related legislation.

Allowing these members to vote on renter-related legislation is a clear conflict of interest and a first step toward removing hard-won and necessary protections for the working class renters of this city.

in the midst of an already ongoing housing crisis.

This is a bald-faced and reprehensible attack on the working class people of this city for the sake of further enriching wealthy corporate landlords.

And anyone who votes in favor of repealing these protections should lose their council seat.

You would do well to remember that you were elected to serve the people of this city, not to sell them out to predatory landlords.

When renters' rights are under attack, what do we do?

Stand up like that!

When renters' rights are under attack, what do we do?

Stand up like that!

Thank you.

Shama, in city council, as the first socialist in decades, won these renters protections, and you're now trying to tear them down.

These are the cap on late rent fees at $10 per month, six months notice for rent increases, requiring landlords to pay economic evictions assistance, banning winter evictions, banning school year evictions of children and public school workers, closing the loophole in Seattle's Just Cause protections, write to a lawyer for all renters facing evictions, limit move-in fees, and allowing payment plans, prohibiting rent increases in bad quality housing and requiring landlords to provide voter registration information to new tenants.

It is despicable that Seattle's Democratic Party politicians are attempting to undo these basic workers protections and renters protections.

When renters rights are under attack, what do we do?

Stand up like that!

When renters rights are under attack, what do we do?

Stand up like that!

When workers rights are under attack, what do we do?

Stand up like that!

Restart the timer.

I'm Dominic, Wolfgang Wallace, a member of Workers Strike Back and a minimum wage worker in District 3. I remember when this city council attempted to keep my wage $3 lower and the shameful attack on me and my coworkers failed because Workers Strike Back came to our defense.

Now we're seeing that same city council put on a power grab by repealing this ethics code and making it easier for the Democrats to sell us out.

That's what the Democrats do.

So it's no surprise to see the city council act in this way.

What we need isn't better Democrats.

We need a new independent party of the working class to kick all of them out of their seats.

And anyone here or listening in who wants that should join Workers Strike Back and help to build a fighting movement that will take on both corporate parties, because when we fight, Each week, we see more people come to public comment to speak against this repeal, and if the Democrats truly cared about what their constituents think, they would have already backed off from this attack.

But what we see instead is this city council do everything they can to shut us down and shut us up so they can get on taking our rights away.

When renters' rights are under attack, what do we do?

When workers' rights are under attack, what do we do?

Can we please have speaker numbers 21 through 24 also line up?

We're at number 20. Speakers 21 through 24, can you please start lining up?

Thank you.

Speaker number 20.

My name is Karen Kinch.

I'm a member of Workers Strike Back.

I'm so glad these young students were here today to see what true democracy in action looks like.

This is what you council members need to know.

Those of you who support the rollback of the ethics codes are lying to yourselves and you are lying to us.

You want us to believe that you are somehow better than we are and that you somehow have been given some kind of God-given ability to know when your financial interests or how to separate them from your sworn duty to represent the people in this city.

You want us to believe that your districts won't have representation because of these protections of the ethics code, the current ones.

And this is utter folly, utter nonsense.

And you should be very afraid.

Be afraid now, because this is going to continue until this nonsense stops.

We guarantee that.

Thank you.

Is he a child?

I dirty damn Nazi, Gestapo, Democrat, fascist.

My name Alex Zimmerman.

I Trump supporter.

I have 6,000 days of trespass, include 18 trespass from Sava for 1,500 days.

And you prosecute me five times.

I want to speak about something that is very unique.

For many years, I don't hear like this.

Thank you very much, Consul Riks.

So yesterday, sorry for my pronunciation, Riks.

Yeah, so yesterday you have a very good decision, proposition, so people can speak more.

This eight Nazi pig refused doing this.

So my question right now to you, you can open Bertha room, you don't need the approving.

You can open better room for people like you, for other people.

You're doing this alone.

You don't need nobody for approving this.

Doing this one day per month for everybody.

So people cannot go and speak.

This BS makes me sick.

This is a freaking idiot.

Thank you very much.

Your time is up.

Open better room one day per month.

I'd urge anyone here today who supports this fight against these renters' rights attack to join Worker Strike Back.

And I want to talk about why the Democrats on the City Council have been taking actually quite a long time to pass this attack on renters' rights.

And it's because right now they're trying to find a compromise.

Kathy Moore wants a full-on attack.

There are other Democrats on the City Council who would prefer a compromise position.

They want to strangle Seattle's renters more slowly.

and that's the only reason it's taken so long to move this legislation.

They have a tactical disagreement about exactly how quickly and how transparently to carry out these attacks on working people.

That shows why backroom deals don't work.

It shows why we need to build movements that build massive pressure on politicians until they're forced to give in.

And it shows why we need a new political party for working people, because the billionaires and the corporate developers have two.

We need one of our own.

When renter's rights are under attack, what do we do?

Stand up, fight back!

When renter's rights are under attack, what do we do?

Stand up, fight back!

When renter's rights are under attack, what do we do?

Stand up, fight back!

What do we do?

Stand up, fight back!

What do we do?

Stand up, fight back!

The disregard for renters and working people by the Democrats on this council is despicable.

Three landlords, Essex, Equity, and Avalon Bay, who own over 15,000 units in Seattle, made nearly $3 billion in profits last year.

Their profits increased by nearly $700 million last year compared to 2023. The profits of Essex property increased by a stunning 88%.

And yet, we are seeing a crush of evictions right now The King County Sheriff's Office is reporting a 30% increase from last year's rate, and the rate of eviction since 2019 has more than doubled.

And yet, Democrats on this council are trying to take rights away from renters that were won through struggle, through thousands of working people, and through Shama Sawant Socialist City Council Office.

Any Democrat who votes for this, or any Democrat who doesn't join us in fighting back against this, should be thrown out of office.

And it's shameful that the MLK Labor Council has voted to endorse Bruce Harrell, the leadership has endorsed Bruce Harrell.

We should rescind that endorsement.

Workers should fight to rescind that endorsement, drive out any Democrat who votes for this.

We need a new party, and I urge anyone here who agrees to join Workers' Strike Back.

Thank you.

The city council is once again doing the dirty work of corporate landlords, trying to rip away Renner's rights.

Restart the timer!

Restart the timer!

Restart the timer!

Restart the timer!

I just want to get through this meeting, so go ahead and restart the timer.

Restart the timer!

The City Council Democrats are once again doing the dirty work of corporate landlords, trying to rip away renters' rights that working people fought for and won.

The same Democratic Party politicians who tried to gut our $15 per hour minimum wage victory are now attacking basic protections for renters.

They failed last time because Shama Sawant's organization, Worker Strike Back, fought back.

And we're not going anywhere.

To everyone here, we need you with us.

The Democratic Party doesn't represent us any more than the Republicans.

They represent the same billionaires and corporate landlords.

And in fact, Republicans are here to support Democratic council members in attacking working class renters.

Join worker strike back.

Join the fight.

Because when we organize, when we fight, we can win.

Let's be clear.

Every attack like this is a reminder that we need to throw these corporate politicians out and build a new party for working people.

The leadership of MLK Labor Council just endorsed Bruce Harrell, a mayor who sided with the rich and powerful at every turn.

That shameful endorsement gives political cover to an anti-worker administration now overseeing...

Thank you very much.

Your time is up.

Your time is up.

Please step away from the mic so that you're interrupting your chance.

One and 32. What do we do?

Stand up like that!

What do we do?

Stand up like that!

Speakers 31 and 32, our last two speakers.

Hey, my name is Gabriel.

I'm a renter and tech worker and a former teacher in District 3.

I've taught students who are housing precarious and students who are homeless.

And I just got to say, what you're doing today is just despicable.

It's not just repealing the ethics code.

And honestly, that should give you some pause.

It's why you're doing it.

Evicting kids during the school year, jacking up late fees, winter evictions, rent hikes with no notice.

This is your platform.

These are your priorities.

I mean, I hope your actions today follow you for the rest of your career.

And God forbid.

If you ever run again, I hope your opponents use this as easy political fodder.

You guys are the landlord politicians who erased ethics laws to kick kids out on the streets.

Instead, you should be siding with us.

You should be siding with families.

You should be siding with the poorest.

Instead, you're siding with the landlords.

When renters are under attack, what do we do?

I'm Gwen.

I'm a member of Workers Strike Back, and I don't need to tell any of you why I'm here today.

This council isn't hearing from working people for weeks now, but have you done anything one step back?

Have you done anything to listen to us?

No.

Instead, you've invented these ridiculous, draconian measures, starting to timer before people have been walked up to the mic, muting us in between remote speakers because you don't want people to hear us.

Because apparently, while you sell out our lives to the billionaires just having to listen to us, it's apparently a bridge too far for you.

Shame on MLK Labor Council for endorsing Bruce Harris and the sham of a party.

The Democrats are part of the billionaires and this is the 1,000 millionth example of why they will never work for us.

If you agree, join Worker Strike Back because we need a new party for working people.

If we want to tax the rich to pay for affordable housing, Medicare for all, and all the things we need to live, We need to fight for it as workers, independently in our own mass movements, untied from this horrific, toxic, rotten big business party.

When renters' rights are under attack, what do we do?

Stand up and fight back!

When renters' rights are under attack, what do we do?

Stand up and fight back!

One more remote speaker.

We have one remote speaker.

Jodi, you're sharing your entire screen.

Just a heads up.

Is the speaker unmuted?

Yes, I am unmuted.

Please begin.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So to the renters group, I totally understand.

I'm also a renter in shoreline and rent is high.

I totally understand that I own a home in Florida as well.

I just want to say that we have, it looks like generation alpha and generation Z in the room with us.

And as adults, if we can just be respectful so we can get through the meeting, I'm here just as a resident and wanting to hear what's going on.

And it's so much screaming that my head is starting to hurt.

So I just ask that we all be adults here.

We have young people in the room watching us.

And if we can just state our points, but be respectful.

It's absolutely ridiculous and embarrassing to watch on camera with a back pain and just trying to see what's happening with city council and all the screaming.

I can barely watch it.

Thank you.

That was our last speaker.

Okay, we've reached the end of the list of registered speakers.

The public comment period is now closed.

Thank you for your comments today.

Okay.

Please leave chambers so that we can continue our meeting.

We'll be back!

We'll be back!

We'll be back!

We'll be back!

We'll be back!

We'll be back!

We'll be back!

We'll be back!

We'll be back!

We'll be back!

We'll be back!

OK, I move to adopt the introduction and referral calendar.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second.

It's been moved and seconded to adopt the introduction and referral calendar.

OK, folks, I have to I move to amend the introduction and referral calendar by removing item one, Council Bill 120983. Is there a second?

Second.

I'll tell you why.

Um, it is moved and seconded to amend the introduction and referral calendar to remove item one, council bill 120983. As sponsor of this motion, I was alerted by city finance that there is a, that there is a pending, uh, correction in another bill that will be submitted for our consideration next week.

So basically there's a problem.

There's a technical problem in the bill.

And so, We'll, we're pulling it so that we can vote for it next week.

Are there any questions or comments?

Okay.

Will the clerk please call the roll on the adoption of the amendment?

Council member Kettle.

Here.

For the amendment.

Sorry.

Aye.

Thank you.

Council member Moore.

Aye.

Council Member Rink.

Yes.

Council Member Rivera.

Aye.

Council Member Sacca.

Aye.

Council Member Solomon.

Aye.

Council Member Strauss.

Yes.

And Council President Nelson.

Aye.

None in favor, none opposed.

Thank you very much.

Okay, let's see.

Just for the record, I wasn't called, but I'll vote yes.

Yeah.

But yes.

Can you please read the total again?

Nine in favor now and then opposed.

Thank you very much.

All right.

Now will the clerk please call the roll on the adoption of the amended introduction and referral calendar before us.

Council member Hollingsworth.

Yes.

Council member Kettle.

Council member Moore.

Council member rank.

Yes.

Council member Rivera.

Council member Saka.

Aye.

Council member Solomon.

Council member Solomon.

Council member Strauss.

Council president Nelson.

Aye.

Nine in favor, none opposed.

Okay.

The, the introduction and referral calendar is adopted as amended.

All right.

If there's no objection, the agenda will be adopted.

Hearing none, the agenda is adopted.

Now we'll go on to the proposed consent calendar.

The items on the consent calendar include Council Bill 120983, which is the payment of the bills from before, appointments from the Governance Accountability and Economic Development Committee, two appointments from the Housing and Human Services Committee.

Are there any items that council members would like to remove from today's consent calendar?

All right, seeing none.

Yeah, we need to remove the payroll bill that we just removed from that IRC.

So we'll be removing item one on the consent calendar, which is Council Bill 120983.

Okay.

We are removing Council Bill 120983. All right.

Item one, Council Bill 120983 has been removed and will be addressed separately.

I move to adopt the consent calendar, excluding item one.

Is there a second?

Second.

It's been moved and seconded to adopt the consent calendar, excluding item one.

Will the clerk please call the roll on the adoption of the consent calendar?

Council member Hollingsworth?

Yes.

Council member Kettle.

Council member Moore.

Council member Rink.

Yes.

Council member Rivera.

Council member Saka.

Council member Solomon.

Council member Strauss.

Yes.

Council President Nelson.

Aye.

Nine in favor, none opposed.

All right.

The consent calendar items excluding item one are adopted.

Will the clerk please affix my signature to the minutes in legislation on the consent calendar on my behalf?

All right, moving on.

There are no committee reports for consideration today.

There were no items removed from the consent calendar, except for this one item that we will go to at the end of the meeting.

My apologies in hindsight, we should have removed it from the agenda completely.

Um, this is the last minute correction and last minute notice that need to be done.

So, um, if there's no objection, I'd recommend that the, the agenda be amended to remove council bill one two zero nine 83.

I move to amend the agenda to remove Council Bill 120983. Second.

Okay, it's been moved and seconded.

And if there's no objection, then the agenda will be amended as stated.

And if there is no objection, the agenda will be amended as stated.

Great.

All right.

There is not a resolution for introduction and adoption today.

And today we have four proclamations which will be discussed and signed today for presentation later in the community.

I will ask each council member to introduce the proclamation and seek any final feedback on the proclamation before I request a roll call for council members to affix their signatures to the proclamation.

Okay, we are starting with the first proclamation.

Councilmember Rivera, you are recognized in order to present the proclamation honoring University of Washington President Annemarie Cosset.

Thank you, Council President.

Colleagues, I'm bringing a proclamation to honor University of Washington President Anamari Cauce, who will be retiring this July.

President Cauce has been working at the University of Washington since 1986 in many different roles, from assistant professor, to chair, to dean, to provost, to executive vice president, and then to president serving two five-year terms as president.

President Cauce is also a groundbreaker, becoming the first woman, the first Latina, and first openly LGBTQ plus person to serve as president of the university.

I will be presenting this proclamation to President Cauce this Thursday evening at an event being held to celebrate her many contributions to the University of Washington Colleagues, I ask for your support in signing on to this recognition of President Cauce for her many contributions to the university and to our city.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Are there any comments from my colleagues on this?

I will simply say thank you very much for bringing this forward and I almost wish that she would be here to receive it so that we could hear her comments and thank her, but I believe I will be attending as well.

So I just really appreciate the recognition from someone who was leading, I believe it was, it used to be the largest employer of Seattle, but it's definitely...

an institution that I believe City Hall should be closer to because there's so much knowledge coming out of there.

So thank you very much for bringing it forward.

Agreed, Council President.

And just we did invite President Cauce, but she was not able to attend.

And it's understandable given her many responsibilities at the university.

Um, but she knows that we were welcoming and inviting her to be here.

And I look forward to being with her on Thursday and, and with you, if you're going to be there.

So thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Um, if there are no further questions or comments, will the clerk please call the roll to determine which council members would like their signature affixed to the proclamation honoring president Ana Maria.

Council member Hollingsworth.

Yes.

Council member Kettle.

Aye.

Council member Moore.

Aye.

Council member Rink.

Yes.

Council member Rivera.

Aye.

Council member Saka.

Aye.

Council member Solomon.

Aye.

Council member Strauss.

Yes.

Council President Nelson.

Aye.

Nine signatures will be affixed.

All right.

Thank you very much.

Council member Rink, you recognize in order to present the proclamation on Eritrean Independence Day.

Thank you, colleagues.

I'm bringing forward this proclamation today for signatures to celebrate and recognize Independence Day of Eritrea.

It is one of the most important days of the Eritrean diaspora, particularly here in Seattle, and we have been proud to work with community organizations in developing this proclamation.

We recognize the incredible Eritrean community here in Seattle and their contributions to our community.

And we would like to present this proclamation on Independence Day for Eritrean Independence Day, pardon me, on May 24th, where they will be having a celebration at Seaward Park Amphitheater.

I went last year.

It was a blast.

And I would encourage everyone to join along and celebrate this incredible day and also see the presentation of this proclamation to community.

And I ask for your signatures.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Are there any comments or questions?

All right.

Seeing none, will the clerk please call the roll on the, to determine which council members would like their signatures affixed to the proclamation recognizing May 24th is Eritrean independence day.

Council member Hollingsworth.

Yes.

Council member Kettle.

Aye.

Council member Moore.

Aye.

Council member Rink.

Yes.

Council member Rivera.

Councilmember Sacca.

Councilmember Salomon.

Councilmember Strauss.

Council President Nelson.

Aye.

Nine signatures will be affixed.

Thank you.

And then on the third and fourth proclamations, Councilmember Hollingsworth has two proclamations for discussion in signature, which will be discussed together and with one roll call to affix signatures to both.

Councilmember Hollingsworth, you're recognized in order to present two proclamations on Pride Asia Day and Pride Month.

Thank you, Council President.

My favorite month.

after Black History Month, I think they both weigh together.

So this year, I think the one thing that is incredibly important that we're recognizing, Gay Pride Month, in light of some of the unfortunate attacks that have been on the gay community, is celebration and resilience.

Last year, Seattle celebrated their 50th anniversary of Gay Pride.

which was pretty amazing.

And we talked about knowing your history reveals your potential greatness.

And for this year, it's resilience, standing up, just pride out loud, and being prideful in our city.

And I know that right now there's a lot of communities that want to show, and I think we have an opportunity here in Seattle, particularly, to make sure that we can be a leader in the community.

There's a lot of...

a trans community that are coming to Seattle in refuge of, you know, having a safe space and a sanctuary city.

And I really connect it to when you had a lot of black people that came to Seattle during the Great Migration, leaving the South and coming here to Seattle to find a new home.

And so there's a lot of crossover here for me. uh, general, uh, for this pride, uh, proclamation that will be presented on the 31st of May this year.

So that is a Saturday and it will be presented at the flag raising for, for both of these proclamations.

So really appreciate everyone's support last year.

I know, and, um, looking forward to everyone's support this year.

Thank you.

Are there any comments or questions?

I'm looking at the screen, not seeing any hands up.

Well, I will, Council Member Hollingsworth, I first want to just thank you for bringing these important proclamations forward.

As many of you know, the Seattle International Film Festival is taking place right now and my staffer and I were talking about some of the films, including a documentary on the attack on books and libraries and another documentary about states gender affirming care for minors.

And it just makes me frankly, well, it just makes me sick that this is where we're at right now.

What Trump and his allies are trying to do right now is rob the LGBTQ community of their stories, their identity and their dignity.

So it's more critical than ever that we as a city loudly and proudly proclaim June as Pride Month and that we stand with the LGBTQ community today and every day.

So thank you again for bringing this forward.

Thank you.

And if I could say one more thing, I apologize.

I didn't mean to be like a Debbie Downer.

We're extremely excited to be the city that we are, to be a protective city that we are and to have this opportunity.

The gay parade is one of the most phenomenal events that we have in our city to see all the smiling faces, the people, the joy, the love.

That is what our community is about.

I just wanted to highlight that.

I know we can talk about stuff on the federal level and I led with that and I apologize.

But I definitely want to highlight the celebration that we have for the entire month of June, how phenomenal it is to be in community and connected with folks.

So I just wanted to highlight that.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

OK.

All right.

Seeing no further comments, will the clerk please call the roll to determine which to determine which council members will be affixing their signature to the proclamation?

Council member Hollingsworth?

Yes.

Council member Kettle?

Aye.

Council member Moore?

Aye.

Council member Rink?

Yes.

Council member Rivera?

Aye.

Council member Saka?

Aye.

Council member Solomon?

Aye.

Council member Strauss?

Yes.

Council President Nelson?

Aye.

Nine signatures will be affixed.

Thank you very much, everyone.

One last thing, or at least last, I would like to recognize Councilmember Kettle, who would like to say a few words about Memorial Day.

Thank you, Chair, Council President.

I appreciate it.

This time last year, I sent out a speech I had given in my hometown on Memorial Day to the colleagues here on the dais.

I know we have two new ones, so I'll have to get a copy for you both.

And it also was put out in our newsletter and so forth.

Given the fact that Memorial Day's coming up, it'll be before our next full Council meeting, I just wanted to read just a couple excerpts from the speech I'd given that I sent out as a document last year.

So colleagues, I wanted to note that Memorial Day as we know it today really starts from World War I since before that it was celebrated on different days and even sometimes called differently as Decoration Day.

As an American and I think all of us as Americans can be quite proud that our country honors this day with parades and ceremonies which is in keeping with General Orders Number 11 of headquarters of the Grand Army of the Republic signed in 1868. The order stated No form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will, in their own way, arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

The intent of the orders was to inaugurate this observance with the hope that it would be kept up from year to year while a survivor of the war remains to honor the memory of his departed comrades.

In my speech, I talk about 9-11 and those that I knew that passed.

And then also in Iraq, four members of my unit were killed in Iraq.

And then the idea that came out that sometimes families feel that they're sometimes forgotten.

And I made the point that they're never forgotten.

And that's important to state.

And I did state it in my letter to a family and in this speech.

But to conclude, You know, on Memorial Day, we all pay tribute to those who have given their lives in service of our nation, our fathers, brothers, sons, now also mothers, sisters, and daughters, or our neighbors and our friends.

You know, separately, Memorial Day is about those that have been lost, have been killed.

It's not Veterans Day.

Veterans Day is in November.

But I did, in my speech, also want to acknowledge the veterans who had been wounded in battle, you know, alongside those who had been killed.

And we often, as I said, call out the names who have died, but rarely those who have been wounded.

And the two instances in my unit in Iraq were killed.

There was many more that were injured at the same time, and they live with those injuries today.

So I think it's a slight detour to recognize them and those that have been injured that way.

So at the end, I'd like to thank you, Council President, for the opportunity to speak about Memorial Day and encourage participation in Memorial Day ceremonies throughout the city to places like the Wall of Remembrance at Ben Royal Hall, which is something that we as a council, I and my colleagues, are looking to ensure.

is in great shape.

But also in other areas too, through VFW posts like ours in Ballard, Ballard-Eagleson, VFW post 3063, but those all across the city to include West Seattle, where I know there's some American Legion posts.

And at the end of the day, for some, Memorial Day is about a day off or the start of the summer season.

But participation in events like those, however, provides a fitting testimonial respect to those that gave the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation.

So thank you, colleagues.

Chair.

Thank you very much for those comments.

I remember last year, you did a proclamation for Memorial Day.

And when you presented it, I remember the comments of people in the audience, I believe some folks that well, some some officers, some firefighters, just people that were that had been in the services.

And I remember someone remarking that that was the first time ever that a council member had even recognized Memorial Day and it was much appreciated.

So thank you very much for keeping on a little bit of that tradition by making your comments today.

I think it's important.

All right, any further business to come before the council?

All right, seeing none, we've reached the end of today's agenda.

Our next regularly scheduled city council meeting is on May 27th at 2 PM.

Hearing no further business, it is now 321 and we are adjourned.

Thanks everyone.